Flush-tank valve



oct. 9, 1928.

1 1,686,985 R. M. PIERsoN 'FLUSH TANK VALVE Fned Jan. 11, 1927 Parenteel 9, ieze.

'unirse STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Konami rvr. mensola, or AKRON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR To THE B. FQGOODRICK COMPANY, OE Naw YORK, N. YWA CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

FLUSH-TANK VALVE,

'irppiication mea January 11, 19275 serial No. 160,400.

rThis invention relates to buoyant rubber valves for flush tanks, and it consists in a novel construction of flexible-edge valve calcula-ted to promote an efiective seating 1n aA large variety ofsizes and shapes of tank outlets, to prevent permanent deformation or-pulling out of shape and at the same time to preserve an adequate air-chamber and avoid the retention of vsubstantial amounts of water on the upper side of the valve when it is floating, so that the valve :may remain unseated until the 'tank is fully r three principal members, namely an upperv or roof member l of conoidal shape, centrally of which is embedded the metallic liftingl spud 2 in a short stem 3, although the stem as a distinct element is not essential; a relatively-shallow, annular, thinwalled intermediate member l depending from the outer edge of said upper member l, and a lower or seating member 5 having an opening 6 at the bottom thereof for withdrawing the molding core which forms the internal air-chamber 7.

The upper member l is relatively thick-v walled in order to impart a desirable degree of stiffness to the top of the valve in both radial and vertical directions, and conoidal shape contributes to the vertical stiffness without requiring an excessive amount of rubber.

The lower or seating` member 5 may have a generally convex-2 vor eonoidal shape, tapering downwardly from its upper or greatest diameter, and l prefer to curve the lower part of its profile oii a shorter radius than the upper party but the particular shape of said profile is subject to some variation. The lower part of said member 5 is relatively thin-walled to promote good sealing against t-he valve seat, and the thickness gradually increases through the upper marginal part to a maximum at the upper end thereof, the

its

effect of sucli thickening being to increase the life of the rubber and prevent the seating portion from taking a permanent set 'or being pulled out of round to an objection-y able extent.

The member et, whose shape and dispositionmight be varied somewhat Without departing from my invention, is preferably mane ofsolid rubber and constitutes a means for permitting local ileXure of the thickened upper edge or margin of the seating member 5 without substantial radial resistance from the relatively-thick and hence relatively-stilf upper or roof member 1, thereby allowing the `valve to seat properly in a wide cut-let or one of slightly irregular shape, or

when the valve is slightly cocked or misaligned in its seat. The height of member lis a small fraction only Of the diameter of member l, so that the latter substantially any extreme flexure of the upper edge of the seating member 5. i

Being, as here shown, substantially vertical, member l opposes a vertical compressive resistance to deformation of thevalve due to the hydrostatic head of water exerted 'upon member 1 and also a vertical tension resistance transmitting the pull of member l directly to member 5 without undue lost motion when the valve is being lifted off its seat.

The upper lmarginal surface of the seating member 5 forms a substantially-horiZontal narrow ledge 8 which can not retain an appreciable amount of water adding to the weight of the valve when the latter floats, and hence the valve will tend to remain open until the tank is fully discharged during a flushing operation.

The above combination of features provides a valve of maximum resiliency in its seating portion, having an adequate aircliamber and high degree of buoyancy, using a minimum amount of rubber, with suflicient stillness toavoid pulling out of shape, and having a structurewhich, nothwithstandingthe relative stiffness of its upper member and the position of its margin with respect to the greatest diameter of the valve, provides a high degreeV of flexibility in the upper edge portion of the seating member, which prop l. A flush-tank Valve of resilient rubber composition including a lower or seating in'en'iber Which is relatively thickened annularly thereof in its upper marginal portion, an upper or roof member, and an intermediate, relatively thin and flexible annular member, the height ol" Which is a smell fraction only o' the diameter of said vupper member, connecting the outer edge of said upper member With the thickened margin of the lower member, Within the outer periphery or. the latter.

2. A Hush-tank valve' of integral, resilient rubber ycomposition includingr a thickened, upper or roof member, substantially in the form of a cone with its apex uppermost, a relatively shallow, thin and flexible,

Lesees annular intermediate member depending :from the outer edge of said upper member,y

and a lower or seatingv member Whose upper 'margin is connected with the lower edge of ROBERT M. PIERSON. 

